The Infiltrator (Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo) — The Medellin Cartel smuggled millions of pounds of cocaine into the United States and reaped billions of dollars of cash while addicting much of the company. The infamous War on Drugs may not have stopped the flow of drugs into the country but it wasn’t for lack of effort.
The Infiltrator tells the true story of Robert Mazur, the undercover government agent who penetrated the cartel, earned their trust, and then duped them into a sting that resulted in more than 100 arrests. This tense film tells Mazur’s story and his struggle to maintain a normal personal life while playing a cocky, connected money launderer.
Strong supporting performances by Diane Kruger as the agent who poses as Mazur’s fiance and by John Leguizamo as a fellow agent who sets up the cartel’s intermediaries with Mazur punctuate the film. But make not mistake, this is Bryan Cranston’s film. Stuck for most of his career in supporting roles on TV (Malcolm in the Middle) and film (Argo, That Thing You Do, Little Miss Sunshine), Cranston became an award-winning leading man in Breaking Bad and last year’s Academy Award nominated Trumbo. He is totally believable as Mazur, a man totally dedicated to his job but one who tries to maintain strong relationships with his family.
The two lives intersect in a taut scene at a restaurant where Mazur and his wife are having dinner out when they run into one of the cartel’s intermediaries. It’s a great scene that requires Mazur to berate a waiter much to the horror of his wife. But this isn’t the only great scene in the film. In fact, the film is full of great scenes. And it is not nearly as violent as the previews suggest.
Strong performances and a compelling story make The Infiltrator must-see summer entertainment in a season filled with kid flicks and blockbusters.
Top performances and a compelling story make The Infiltrator must-see summer entertainment in a season filled with blockbusters and kid flicks.